Director – Future Model Quality

Ford Motor Company

Director of Future Model Quality at Ford focusing on strategic quality roadmap for future vehicle programs. Leading architectural requirements and quality control in next-gen automotive projects.

Posted 5/9/2026full-timeDearborn • Missouri • 🇺🇸 United StatesLeadWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Cyber Security

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Drive Program Quality Excellence: Lead the transition from platform development to program execution, ensuring that quality is maintained at the tail end of industrialization.
New Model Launch Quality Control: Act as the primary authority for quality control during new model launches, ensuring technical readiness and flawless execution.
Achieve Mid-Term Plan (MTP) Targets: Provide the assurance and technical oversight necessary to ensure future models meet or exceed mid-term strategic goals for best-in-segment quality.
Systemic Bridge (Platform to Program): Take systemic lessons learned from the Platform level and ensure they are rigorously applied and industrialized at the individual Program level.
Software Reliability Assurance: Lead high-priority efforts for programs where software reliability or digital integrity falls below established targets, implementing technical interventions to get programs back on track.
High-Level Gating & Technical Maturity: Establish and oversee software gating criteria, collaborating with New Models Launch and Technical Platform teams to assess program readiness based on technical maturity rather than an issue-by-issue basis.
Manage Future Risk Profiles: Determine future risk profiles for software reliability, cybersecurity, and functional safety by analyzing technical improvements and trends over time.
Systemic “Read-Across”: Lead processes to ensure that defects identified in current programs are analyzed and resolved globally across future vehicle architectures, including both software and complex mechatronics systems.
Benchmarking & Strategy: Lead comprehensive benchmarking initiatives against global competitors to drive the long-term strategy for future model quality.
Leadership & Mentorship: Develop and mentor a team of direct and indirect quality experts, fostering technical excellence, data-driven decision-making, and a quality-first culture across hardware and software disciplines.

Requirements

What you’ll need

12+ years of engineering experience in the automotive industry, with a focus on product development, systems architecture, or quality management.
Proven track record of driving large-scale architectural improvements to enhance product reliability and reduce warranty costs.
Extensive experience in new model launch environments and quality control during industrialization.
Demonstrated ability to work programs to targets, specifically regarding software reliability and technical maturity.
Experience in strategic software gating and collaborating with Launch and Technical Platform teams.
Deep expertise in systemic problem solving and “read-across” implementation across multiple platforms and mechatronics systems.
Strong ability to influence and collaborate with senior executives, directors, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
Tuition assistance
Established and active employee resource groups
Paid time off for individual and team community service
A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

software reliabilityquality controlsystems architectureproduct developmenttechnical maturitymechatronics systemsstrategic software gatingbenchmarkingdata-driven decision-makingindustrialization

Soft Skills

leadershipmentorshipinfluencecollaborationproblem solvingcommunicationteam developmentcross-functional teamworktechnical excellencequality-first culture